Lock bar for bicycles



1949. w. J., MANGAN 2,479,849

LOCK BAR FOR BICYCLES Filed April 50, 1948 BY BZ 33 I WMflmwzfWm Patented Aug. 23, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I LOCK BAR FOR BICYCLES William J. Mangan, Leavenworth, Kans. Application April 30, 1948, Serial No. 24,317

Claims.

My invention relates to means for locking the wheels of a bicycle, and more particularly to a lock bar adapted to be interposed between the spokes of a bicycle wheel to lock the latter against rotation.

As is wellknown, most public buildings and oifice buildings .will notadmit bicycles to the ground floors thereof whereby bicycle users must park the bicycles on the sidewalk or elsewhere outside of the biulding. To prevent the bicycle from being stolen, it is customary to lock the wheels of the same by various devices, such as pacllocks, chains or the like. However, such devices have the disadvantage that they are cumbersome and awkward to handle when the bicycle is in use and the locks are not applied thereto.

With the foregoing in View, it is an object of my invention to provide an improved lock bar for bicycles.

A further object is to provide an improved lock bar for bicycles which is hingedly connected to the leg of one of the wheel forks for swinging movement to and from an inoperative position alongside the leg to a lock-providing position extending through the wheel between the spokes thereof for engagement with the opposite leg of the fork.

A further object is to provide a lock bar for a bicycle such as that last described which includes a longitudinally-extending channel formed therein which is complementary to the leg of the wheel fork to which the bar is pivoted whereby the same snugly embraces such leg when the bar is in the inoperative position.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention, combination and arrangement of the several parts thereof, and will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following specification in connection with the attached drawing, wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of one wheel fork of a bicycle showing the device according to the invention applied thereto, the bicycle wheel being shown in transverse vertical section fragmentarily;

Figure 2 is a view like Figure 1, but showing the I lock bar in the lock-providing position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the lock bar of Figure 1 apart from the rest of the structure;

Figure 5 is a view like Figure 4, but showing a modified form of lock bar.

Referring specifically to the drawing, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, and wherein like reference characters have been used throughout the several views to designate like parts, I0 designates generally a fr ont or rear wheel fork of a bicycle which includes the usual legs II and I2 on either side of the wheel l3,

the latter being provided with the usual spokes I l. As so far described, the structure is conventional and forms no part of my invention.

The lock bar according to this form of the invention comprises a bar-providing portion I6 of channel configuration, the channel of which is complementary to the contour of the leg I2, whereby when the same is in the inoperative position, Figure 1, the bar. II. closely embraces the leg. The upper end I5 of the bar It provides bifurcated ears which are suitably apertured and hingedly supported on the leg I2 by means of any suitable hinge-providin pin I4 extending through said leg. The opposite end of the bar I5 is likewise provided with spaced ears I! to which is hingedly connected by means of rivets or a transverse pin IS a bifurcated member comprising a pair of links I9. The free ends of the links I9 are apertured to provide aligned apertures which are adapted to straddle the leg II when the bar I6 is in the lock-providing position, Figure 2, andsuch apertures receive the hasp of a padlock or other lock-providing means 2|. In this connection, it should be understood that any suitable means for locking the bar I 6 in either the inoperative or, the operative positions may be used. Figure 1 shows the device in the inoperative position with the bar channel closely embracing the leg I2 and with the links I9 laterally outwardly directed and with the padlock 2| applied thereto, whereby the bar I6 is maintained in the inoperative position.

In the form of invention disclosed by Figure 5, a channeled lock bar having a channel complementary to the leg I2 is pivoted thereto by any suitable pin, not shown, extending through the upper bifurcated ears which are provided with aligned apertures 34 for this purpose. The opposite end of the bar 36 is provided with integral and rigidly-formed bifurcated ears 3| which are substantially longer than the corresponding ears I! of the first-described form. Such ears straddle the opposite leg II when the bar is in the lock-providing position. Such ears 3| are provided with aligned apertures 36 to receive a i 3 suitable lock-providing means, such as the padlock 2 I. In addition, this end of the bar 38 is provided with a pair of rigid integral and laterallyextending ears 32 which are likewise provided with aligned apertures 33. Such ears 32 are adapted to straddle the pivot-providing leg [2 when the bar is in the inoperative position and the apertures 33 thereof are adapted to receive the hasp of a padlock or other lock-providing means whereby tor n aintain the-same invthe inope;

erative positions a While I have shown 5521 described what is now thought to be a preferred embodiment of the:

invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and eXpressi0ns.- Consequently, I do not limit myself wto theiprecise structure shown and described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed is. I claim:

1. In a bicycle including a wheel fork having a pair of laterally-spaced fork-providing legs, a

lock} bar pivoted-to one leg and swingable toand' from an inoperative --position alongside said leg and a lock-providing position-spanning -said l'egs,-

the improvement comprisin-gsaid lock 'barbeing fgrmed with a -longitudinally-extending channel therein-,said channelbeing complementary to said leg- -to-whi chs aidbar is pivoted and adapted to embrace said leg whenf said lock bar is insaid inoperativepqsitionsaid loekbar including a free endhaving means adapted-for engagement with a padlock forlocking saidbar to --a fork-providing leg -'-in both said; operative position andsaid inoperative position. o

'2: In abicycle including a wheel fork having a paiigof laterally-spacedfork-providing legs, "a

lock bar pivoted to one legand swingable to' and from an inoperative position alongside said legand r a lock-providing position spanning 'said legs, the improvement comprising said lock; lpar"b'eing. formed with a longitufinally-extending channel therein, said channel being complementary to saidQ-leg to which said bar is pivoted and adapted te'emb face Said leg when said lock ,bar; is insaid inoperative position-Said lock bar including a free nds. er v d n bifu a ions-ca ied by said-freeend, said bifurcations beingadaptedjtol straddle said'last named,legjwhen said bar; is in, said ipoperative position, and [said bifurcations being adapted'tostraddlethe. otherleg when said,

as s, n. helockm ovidin jpcs tion.'1

from an inoperative ,position, alongside said leg bicyclaincluding a wheel fork 0f laterally spaced.,ferkapliolliding jlegs, a lock bar pivoted, to one .leg and swingable tofand formed with a longitudinally-extending channel therein, said channel being complementary to said leg to which said bar is pivoted and adapted to embrace said leg when said lock bar is in said inoperative position, said lock bar including a free end, a member providing bifurcations, means pivotally connecting said member to said free end, said bifurcations being adapted to straddle said last-named leg when said bar is in said inoperative position and said bifurcations being adapted tovstraddle-the other leg fwhen said barjs in the lock-providing position.

4. In a bicycle including a wheel fork having a pair of laterally-spaced fork-providing legs, a lock bar pivoted to one leg and swingable to and from an inoperative position alongside said leg operative 4 position, saidlockbar including a free end; a-member-providing bifurcations integralwith said free" endfisaid bifurcations being adapted to straddle said last-named leg when said baris 'insaid'inoperative position, and said bifurcations being adapted to straddle the other leg when said bar is inthe' lock-providing position;

- 5. "In a bicycle includinga'wheel fork having a" pair of laterally-spaced forlvproviding legs, "a lock bar pivoted to one' leg and swingable to and from an inoperative positionalongs'ide' said leg and a lock-providing the improvement comprisingsaid lockbar being formed with a longitudinally-extending channel: therein, said channel being complementary to said leg to which said bar is pivoted and adapted to embrace said leg, when said lock barfis ins'aid inoperativepositicn, said lock' bar including a free end, said free end being formed with integral laterally-extending "bifurcations adapted" to.

straddle said last=namedleg when said; bar is in said'inoperative positionyandsaid free end-being formed with integral ""longitudinally-extending bifurcations adapted'to straddle the. other'leg' whensaidbar 'is in said lock-providing position;

\ 1 "WILLIAM'JLMANGAN.

Number 1,654,017] Schlener Dec. 2'l,'19. 27

position spanning said legs;-

rnces new record in the 

